EVoyager31 Posted June 18 Share Posted June 18 (edited) So I had to move recently, and had to ditch my two 75g gallon and my 55 gallon tanks. I miss my fancy goldfish SO MUCH but do not have the space for an acceptable setup for goldfish now. i'm dying to get back into fish keeping, but need something really small.. Im talking sub- 10 gallons, bookshelf size. While I understand most fish do not do well in say, a 5 gallon.. but I've heard of nano tanks and the like and would love some suggestions, advice, and ideas here. I'm not incredibly picky.. open to any and all thoughts. I'd love to have a singular betta/betta sizes fish that are beautiful to look at-- but I do understand that they would be better off in a ten gallon so I'm certain that option is out. I'll be starting from scratch for this project TIA! Edited June 18 by EVoyager31 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandrock14 Posted June 18 Share Posted June 18 (edited) I say 10 gallon planted tank with a nice betta fish and Pygmy Corys! I have a 5 gallon on my computer desk with one betta plakat, 7 Pygmy Corys and 2 shrimp. Probably a little tight with the Pgymys but it is heavily planted and they seem to enjoy it. https://bettasquadusa.com/collections/plakat-bettas-short-fins They have a nice selection of bettas. At least to brainstorm. Edited June 18 by Sandrock14 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JE47 Posted June 18 Share Posted June 18 Nano tank suggestions for fish -Chili Rasboras -Pygmy Corydoras are a great option -Green neon tetras -Celestial Pearl Danios - a betta 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt M Posted June 18 Share Posted June 18 (edited) There are many species of killifish that you can keep in 5 gallons. They can jump so you definitely need a lid on the tank. Killies such as the Gold lyretail (Aphyosemion australe), Clown Killifish (Epiplatys annulatus), and Gardneri Killifish (Fundulopanchax gardneri) are some common but great options. I am newer to killifish and have only kept a few species but maybe someone with more experience will chime in if you're interested. They are generally very easy to keep and even breed if you want. If you aren't familiar with Killies, do some googling and be amazed at how beautiful they are. They are a great alternative to bettas because many killies do not need a heater and do well in average room temperatures. Also, the domestic bettas are fine in a 5 gallon aquarium. They do not need a lot of space. Water quality is more important so if you can do regular water changes, it is fine. Edited June 18 by Matt M 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lennie Posted June 18 Share Posted June 18 On 6/18/2024 at 5:52 AM, Sandrock14 said: I say 10 gallon planted tank with a nice betta fish and Pygmy Corys! I have a 5 gallon on my computer desk with one betta plakat, 7 Pygmy Corys and 2 shrimp. Probably a little tight with the Pgymys but it is heavily planted and they seem to enjoy it. https://bettasquadusa.com/collections/plakat-bettas-short-fins They have a nice selection of bettas. At least to brainstorm. I have to say I have witnessed bettas harming pygmy cories multiple times. on paper it sounded cute but I had to intervene and change the stocking later on. I feel like it is risky and pygmys are so tiny and pure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JE47 Posted June 18 Share Posted June 18 I would have to agree putting a betta with any fish is a gamble that you need to have a backup plan for Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daggaz Posted June 18 Share Posted June 18 Murder beans. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenman Posted June 18 Share Posted June 18 A betta in a five-gallon tank isn't a bad combo. Bettas aren't the most active fish in the world and don't need a lot of swimming room. And a single betta in a tank won't generate a ton of waste so water quality should be pretty easy to maintain. You'd want something like a tough snail to handle any uneaten food and understand that the betta might view it as food. People say celestial pearl danios are difficult, but mine have been very easy to handle. I have seven in a ten-gallon tank. I'm not sure I'd recommend them in a five as they are very active and swim around a lot. If the five-gallon tank was shallow and long, they'd be a good option, but if it was a "normal" five-gallon tank they might feel a bit cramped. Shrimp are an obvious option and can be pretty entertaining. They can be a bit picky about water quality. A pea puffer is a decent option but puffers bring issues with them including ever-growing teeth that need to be kept in check. I'd go with shrimp or a betta for a smallish five-gallon tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony s Posted June 18 Share Posted June 18 Betta would be fine. I would get an nerite snail though. Mystery snails have longer stalks that bettas like to nip at. i would say harlequin rasboras work fantastic with bettas. Depending on the dimensions. Never had bettas go after them 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricksonAquatics Posted June 18 Share Posted June 18 A 10g actually gives you quite a few options in terms of schooling fish. Most species that top out around 1”-1.5” do well (such as chili rasboras, ember tetras, CPD’s, clown killifish, etc). In a five gallon, you could still do chili rasboras or other tiny Rasboras from the same genus (strawberry, phoenix, least). Or if you are ok with feeding frozen or live foods every day, one pea puffer would be super fun. They have tons of personality, but, similar to bettas, can’t have any tankmates. Bettas can be super fun but it’s tricky to know if they’ll accept tankmates. You can up your chances by adding them to the tank very last and trying to see how they do near other fish in the store (aka if they’re in a cup, hold their cup up to another tank in the store and see if the betta flares like crazy). Good luck! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandrock14 Posted June 18 Share Posted June 18 I don't think I have ever seen my black samurai plakat betta chase my Pygmy Corys. He has on a rare occasion slowly followed them, which appeared to be more out of a curiosity, not stalking, hunting. It may be his personality, overall he seems very chill. He doesn't chase my shrimp either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitecloud09 Posted June 18 Share Posted June 18 A betta. One and a snail in a 10g is a perfect combo for a nano, a nerite though, not a mystery snail. The betta will nip at the stalks of a mystery. And for a schooling, agreed with @Tony s. Harlequin rasboras! Lol. @Tony s u stole my ideas 🤣 On 6/18/2024 at 8:55 AM, Tony s said: Betta would be fine. I would get an nerite snail though. Mystery snails have longer stalks that bettas like to nip at. i would say harlequin rasboras work fantastic with bettas. Depending on the dimensions. Never had bettas go after them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JS Fish Posted June 19 Share Posted June 19 I would say a 2.5 gallon aquarium with a mexican dwarf crayfish could be cool. For a 5 gallon you could go with cherry shrimp, ammono shrimp, or ghost shrimp. Also sparkling gouramis could be fun. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
epicene Posted June 19 Share Posted June 19 Heterandria Formosa. Super active in all layers and small enough you could easily house 3-4 per gallon. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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